Somalia: a Study in Chaos and Hope - Essay Example

Somalia: a study in Chaos and Hope The African Continent Africa is one of the most resourcerich regions in the world. During the colonial era, Africa was exploited for its abundant recourses for the development of the western world. The divide and conquer rule worked very well in the case of the British, it is one of the grievances of the people that the colonial powers greatly expanded the tribal tensions between the African society to their advantage, the repercussions of which echo even today in the civil tensions wide spread through Africa. Another great tragedy for the continent was the neglect of the colonialists in developing the basic infrastructure, economic structure and social safe guards for the natives during the time in which they controlled the region. The resources to achieve modernization were certainly there but a lack of foresight; least concern for the people or some more sinister sentiments to cripple the nations led to Africa being deprived of all the developments of the modern era. There seemed to be hope for the African countries when they started to gain independence in the 1950s. The plans for the future involved putting up the foundations for social, economical and political growth of the nations along with provision of education, food and basic necessities of life to all citizens. The hope was short lived, however. By 1970s “throughout the continent economies experienced deep, pervasive and continual crisis characterized by stagnation, rising foreign and internal debts, increased unemployment, shortages of consumer goods and the deterioration of social infrastructures.” (Boaduo, 2008 p.96). The instability which again spread through out the continent has led to economic and industrial stagnation and there are some factors which have compounded the problems. Ill-advice of IMF and World Bank, by 1990 the African countries had borrowed so heavily from the organization that they were subtly forced to accept the structure of development as dictated to them. But the policy of enabling the forces of free market to work without any interference from the government bodies, especially in the areas of public expenditure and welfare programs was another harsh blow to the rural poor of the countries (Boaduo, 2008 p. 97). Worse it that Corruption and Political instability has become a part of the African landscape. The leaders steal from the people and safeguard their money in western institutions; billions have been wrongfully deposited in banks and much more spend on their lavish life styles. The countries have faced political destabilization from 1960-90 in forms of coups and resistance groups formed from help of international intelligence agencies, further eroding their chances to become self sufficient and strong nations. So far all efforts of the states, civil societies and humanitarian communities have been unable to provide practical and long lasting solutions to the problems of Africa. As the people continue to suffer from hunger, lack of necessities and efficient social service, the kind of development plan that the countries need to propel themselves out the circles of poverty and destabilization has yet to be designed and implemented. 2. The case of Somalia Situated on the eastern corner of Africa, Somalia is a country which embodies all the facets of the African continent- from the development and security problems to the resilience of the people and the economy which still has a lot of potential. Somalia gained its independence in 1960 and was initially established as a democracy. That political system was overthrown in 1969, to be replaced by military dictatorship until 1991 after which the country has existed mainly as a stateless society (Powell, 2009 p.2). The current situation in Somalia is a cause for humanitarian concern. Since 2006 the transitional government has been dealing with the militant insurgent group Al Shabab with the aid of western powers, though there has been little success so far. Militant and pirate kidnappings have become a norm of life and there has been an alarming increase in female rapes in recent months. On top of it all the country also has to fight off foreign invasion and survive in the face of a severe drought which caused a devastating famine in 2011 and epidemics of cholera and measles in the camps of people who had moved through the country seeking respite from the militant terrorism and starvation. The recent events have prompted the United States to quietly intervene into the country’s affairs. The pentagon has approved the spending of $45M to aid the Somali troops fighting against the Al Shabab, there have been drone attacks at militant bases as well. For the most part the fighting has been handed over to private companies and soldiers who bear the brunt of the war. While this creates its own dilemmas of ‘contract killing’ and long term security concerns, the method seems to be working. In the past few months the activities of the terrorist group have been constricted to staging bomb attacks and they seem to be losing their control over Somalia. The emerging hope for Somalis is the city of Mogadishu, the capital of the country. With the population of the country increasing to 300,000 in 2011 and early 2012 and African Union troops (current number 10,000 soon to be raised to 17,000) providing some semblance of security, the city is slowly resuming economic activity and returning to normal routine. The city is the center for refugees from the poverty and famine ridden areas and provides a meager amount of healthcare and aid to them. The spirit is well and alive in the streets of the city, which is attracting droves of Somalis who are returning to their country and bringing significant investments and entrepreneurial skills with them. New construction, bustling markets, and the city’s first concert in two decades: these are the signs of lives which reassure the people of their future (Gettleman, 2012 p.1). The city is also the main region through which the African Union is managing the resistance program against the Al Shahab. 3. Somali Immigrants in the US: As in the case of any political upheaval and war conditions, the Somalis too looked for a way to escape their situation. Many of the families moved across the country, into neighboring countries and to the far west in search of safety and livelihood. In the US, the first wave of Somali immigrants arrived in 1991, after the first downfall of the Mogadishu government. Minneapolis was one of the corners of US which attracted Somali settlers and it is one of the main areas under consideration when talking about the culture and society of Somali immigrants in US. Other areas which have a significant Somali population include Lewiston, Maine; Shelbyville, Tennessee, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Clarkston, Georgia, and Jamestown, North Dakota. In 2010, some 400 Somalis applied for public housing in Jamestown within just four months. Some of these settlements resemble tuulas (Somali villages) with a culture reflective of the original Somalia (Williams 2010). Despite the encouraging signs that show that Somalis have been able to make their own place in the multicultural and diverse environment of the US, many analysts are critical of the level of integration found in the group. The violent history and life that the people had experienced before coming to US shaped their behavior towards other groups, they would have been more wary and survival focused in their dealings. At the same time high level of patriotism towards their country indicates that perhaps there never was any intention of the Somalis to make a new home in America- they just wanted to live out the disturbances of their country in a place with job and life security. And the main problem seems to be related to this, that with a low level of education and skills the first immigrants were not able to get the kind of jobs which they needed would have them helped improved their lifestyles. Often they could only get low paying or part time jobs. They have the highest unemployment and lowest literacy rates amongst the immigrant groups, in Minneapolis, around 82% of the Somali community still lives under the poverty line. The Somalis settling in Lewiston, Maine seem to be choosing the region basically because of its generous welfare system. For the Somali youth, the low income lifestyle and the intrinsic values of their elders has made it difficult for them to relate to the youth of other races, leading to a feeling of frustration and cultural isolation. This might be why the Somali teenagers in Minneapolis turned towards organized delinquent gangs in order to fit in, engaging in petty crime; some of them even embraced the violent lifestyle to a degree that they were motivated to go back home to join the militant movements such as Shirwa Ahmed who became the world’s first American suicide bomber (Moore 2010). This can also explain the behavior of Somali-American, Mohamed Osman Mohamud who was captured by the FBI before he could act out the bombing he had planned. However it would be classic stereotyping to judge the whole group of Somali immigrants on the activities of a few bad examples. While they have certainly faced some unique problems such as getting the full brunt of Anti Muslim sentiments after 9/11, most problems are those which have also been faced by other minority groups and the Somalis are still a relatively new race introduced to the US and they are slowly coping- as the tulaas show. 4. Little Somalia; Little Mogadishu and the future These are the nicknames given to certain regions with a highly prominent Somali population. Little Somalia exists in Minneapolis with some 14000 residents of Somali heritage, around the Cedar-Riverside area and lake street and little Mogadishu was created in East San Diego by newly arrived immigrants. These areas not just represent a place the Somali’s live at but a place where their culture, lifestyle and social norms flourish without any fear. Somali stores, malls, restaurants, and mosques are the main features of these areas and they represent the success of the Somali entrepreneur spirit and their determination to survive at all costs. There is no shortage of upstanding representatives of the Somali population either. Jamal Hashi of Minnesota is an example of Somali success; he went from being a street vendor to a restaurant owner through sheer hard work and innovative selling. Then there is Hussein Samatar, the first Somali-American to be elected into public office in Minnesota. Founder of the African Development Center, he had high hopes of becoming an economist for his country when he was forced to flee after the civil war erupted. He has done his best to provide the support that Somali youth needs to be able to build up their future and the reputation of their community (Yuen 2010). Citizens like these are the role models and inspirations for the Somali population and help to counter the negative perception that has been built about them. 5- Conclusion Somalia has suffered as much as any other African country, having to survive through dire conditions. It is possible to draw a parallel between the developments being taken place in Somalia itself and the attitudes and aspirations of the Somali immigrants. While there are factions amongst both who want to seize power for themselves at the cost of economic and social development, the spirit and patriotism of the rest of the community is hard at work at making sure that they build a safe and successful haven for themselves. There are many setbacks and many hurdles to cross before either Mogadishu or Little Mogadishu reaches the level of self sufficiency, respect and triumph that the people aspire for but there is still optimism about the future Works Cited Boaduo , Nana Adu-Pipim FRC. Africa’s Political, Industrial and Economic Development Dilemma in the Contemporary Era of the African Union. The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.2, no.4, p93-103. June 2008. Web. 20 April, 2012 Gettleman, Jeffery. A Taste of Hope in Somalia’s Battered Capital. The New York Times, A1. 3 April, 2012. Web. 20 April, 2012. Powell, Benjamin. Somalia: Failed State, Economic Success? The Freeman Online, V59: I3. April 2009. Web. 20 April, 2012 Moore, Michael Scott. What Makes Somalis So Different? Miller-McCune, European Dispatch. 22 Dec., 2010. Web. 20 April, 2012 Williams, Paul L. Exclusive: Small Town America Transformed by Somali Migrants. Family Security Matters Publication. 16 July, 2010. Web. 20 April, 2012. Yuen, Laura. First Somali-American elected to public office in Minn. Minnesota Public Radio. 3 Nov., 2010. Web. 20 April, 2012. Read More